Disclaimer: See chapter one

Chap. 5

School...

Class had just ended and the four teens had exited the school conversing with each other.

"Isn't it a little early to have a school dance?"

Uriko beamed, "Hey, I'm not complaining."

Kenji shook his head comically at Uriko's enthusiasm, "The dance isn't until a month. Right now they're just planning for it."

"That's right." she grinned. "And I'm helping out as well. What about you guys?"

Shin shook his head, "I don't have time for it. Sorry."

Uriko frowned a bit and shrugged before looking over at the other two, "What about you guys?"

Rei smiled, "Sure. I'd love too."

"I guess you can count me in." Kenji added.

Uriko cheered, "Alright! This is going to be great."

Shin looked away briefly and then back at the others, "Well, I better be going. I'l see you guys later."

Uriko waved as Shin turned to leave, "Alright, see ya."

However, Kenji stopped him for a moment. "Actually, do you mind if I join you?

Shin blinked, but nodded, "Sure. Okay."

Rei waved, "Well, we'll see you guys later."

"Right."

*************

Kenji and Shin were making their way toward the restaurant. The streets were unusually crowded, but the two teens were able to slink through the crowds.

"Is this how you always get to work?" Kenji asked while dodging a couple walking their way.

Shin shrugged, "I usually use my bike, but it was damaged a week ago." He looked over at Kenji and a weird grin formed, "Hey. Since we're running, we might as well do it someplace with less traffic."

"Like where?"

Kenji watched as Shin suddenly stepped around another group of people and disappeared. Looking up, he saw Shin running up the side of the wall heading toward the roof. Kenji gave a brief smile before he vanished from the crowds as well. High above the streets, Kenji and Shin rapidly jumped across the rooftops, moving in blurs. Despite Shin's lead, Kenji quickly caught up and the two raced side by side.

 After a few minutes, the duo arrived on a building just in front of the restaurant.

"Hey, we made it." Shin remarked. "I wish I thought of this earlier. I have time to spare now."

"If that's the case..."

Shin turned his head to see Kenji jump back away to the far end of the roof. Once he landed, he shifted his body into a stance. A fighting stance...

"How about a spar to pass the time?"

Shin smiled and folded himself into the same stance, "You're on."

The two shinobi faced each other, not even drawing up a single breath. Suddenly, in one instant, they were in the air. They flashed right by each other and then landed on the roof again. Without even stopping to turn around, Shin jumped back into the air and spun around, his leg following in a clean kick. Kenji however, sensed it coming and ducked down. Shin flew right over Kenji and landed on the edge of the roof. Kenji arose and lashed out with his own kick, but Shin jumped over it and landed behind Kenji. Kenji turned just in time to block the punch Shin sent out. But it was a feint as Shin snapped his arm back and hopped up in a double kick. Kenji was caught with the first one, but he pushed the second one away, causing Shin to be catapulted further into the air. Seeing him prone in the air, Kenji shot into the air and caught his back.

"Lightning...Spiral!"

He began to spin in the air and he turned upside-down. As they began to plummet to the ground, Shin struggled and slipped out of the hold. Both of them flipped right-side up and landed on the roof again.

"You've haven't changed." Kenji noted. "Still with the aerial tricks."

"Oh I don't know." Shin suddenly dashed at Kenji. Kenji was ready to block whatever was coming when Shin suddenly vanished. Turning around, he saw Shin reappear and still moving toward him. Shin ducked down and slid under Kenji with a swift slide kick. Instinctively, Kenji flipped over the slide and landed on his hands. Holding himself in place for a moment, Kenji pushed himself back with both feet flying. Shin sidestepped and jumped back.

"That one was pretty grounded." Shin joked.

Kenji nodded, "It's also new. Not bad at all."

"Same to you. You've learned a trick or two, yourself." Looking over the side of the roof, "Well, I better get to work." He faced Kenji briefly and held up the trademark ninja stance with his fingers.

"See you around Kenji."

Kenji returned the gesture, "You two."

Both of them disappeared...

************

"This is going to be great."

"You said that already, Uriko." Rei sighed.

"I know." she giggled. "But I'm so exited."

Rei looked forward, "So...has anyone asked you to go to the dance?"

"A couple of guys." she shrugged.

Rei kept her gaze forward, knowing full well what would happen next when she asked, "Did Kenji ask?"

As expected, Uriko's face flushed in a light pink, "N...not yet."

Rei gave a light smile. She knew that she and Kenji had a relationship that went a little beyond friendship, but they were relatively shy about it.

"Are you expecting him to?"

Uriko was still trying to recover, "Uhh, well..."

Rei suddenly burst out laughing, "Oh come on. You're so obvious, 'Riko. You want him to ask you to the dance."

Uriko stammered, "Well...maybe...hey, what about you?" Uriko had come out of her stupor at decided to reverse it on Rei. "Has anyone asked you?"

Rei simply stared ahead at the door to the apartment. At first, Uriko thought she was avoiding the question, but when her gaze went forward, she stopped as well. There in front of the door, was Saori.

"Saori-san?"

Saori quickly turned around and faced the girls, "Rei, Uriko. Hello. How are you?"

Uriko answered, "Fine. What are you doing here?"

Saori gave a shy smile, "Well, this is kind of embarrassing." She focused her gaze on Rei, "I came to see you and Shin."

"Well, I'm afraid that Shin went straight to work." she replied. "He usually leaves right after school."

"Oh. I see." She answered back. Both girls gave her a quizzical look. Saori is aware of Shin's working hours, so she should have known that he goes straight from school to work. Rei observed the woman more closely, 'She's...hiding something.'

Saori's friendly voice broke her thoughts, "Well, I should head there as well." Saori began to move away, but then stopped and looked at Rei again. The strange feeling of familiarity rushed into Rei again.  "But may I ask you a question, Rei?"

"What is it?"

"Do you remember me? Before the restaurant?" she asked in a strangely icy tone.

Rei blinked in near surprise, "I...do not."

Saori closed her eyes briefly, "I see." Opening her eyes, her friendly visage returned, "Well, I'll see you around. Have a nice day, you two."

Saori strode away, leaving both girls greatly confused.

"What was that all about?"

Rei was more confused that Uriko. But for some strange reason, it didn't bother her at all. Like a twisted deja vu.

"I...am uncertain."

*************

Ohgami residence...

Kenji walked down the block on his way to his home. The spar with Shin had worn him out a bit, but he had homework to do. Entering his home he received a slight surprise.

"Yugo."

The brown haired, wolf zoanthrope turned to his brother, "Hey Kenji."

"Hey, you're..." Kenji suddenly stopped, sensing something amiss. 'Where's Alice? And why was he back so soon?' Their honeymoon was supposed to be another two days.

"Is something wrong?" he asked finally.

Yugo folded his arms, nodding at Kenji ability to pick things up, "Well, we kind of ran into something."

'Uh, oh.' ,was all that Kenji could think.